Method of using, apparatus, product, and system for a no touch point-of-sale self-checkout

ABSTRACT

A method, computer program product, and system to perform a sale transaction are provided. The method includes identifying each item of a plurality of items, based on at least one image of the plurality of items, determining a cost for each item, optionally identifying a person based on an image of the person, adding each of the items and each of the costs to a sale transaction, and charging the person for the sale transaction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/064,323, filed Oct. 15, 2014, entitled “Integrated ShoppingEnvironment,” which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to techniques for checking out at aretail store, and more specifically, to automated techniques forsimultaneously identifying a customer and items presented for purchase.

In some stores, items presented when a customer is checking out areidentified by a bar-code reader that reads a bar-code of the item andidentifies the item. In many of these stores, a customer or storeassociate presents the items serially (i.e., one at a time) to thebar-code reader. Items without bar-codes (e.g., grapes) are identifiedby a person, who inputs the identification into a check-out system(e.g., a cash register).

In some other stores, items are placed in a scan tunnel system that mayidentify items without requiring a person (e.g., a customer or storeassociate) to present each item individually. In current scan tunnelsystems for checking out customers, many cameras are utilized toincrease the likelihood that items are successfully identified by atleast one camera. Multiple (e.g., two to four) belts may also be used toreorient items during scanning In these scan tunnel systems, the itemsare identified serially as each item passes through a scanning zone.Multiple cameras and belts increase the cost of these tunnel systems. Inaddition, the items being purchased must still be transferred by thecustomer or a store associate from the customer's basket to the scantunnel belt. Further, items are sometimes not identified by the scantunnel system, requiring that a person (e.g., a store associate)intervene to identify the item and allow completion of the transaction.

Therefore, there is a need for continuing to improve the customerexperience, expedite checkout and minimize intervention from storepersonnel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exemplary store, according to embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of an exemplary store depicting shelves,POS terminals and an exit to the store, according to embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary POS terminal, according to embodimentsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary checkout area with multiple POSterminals, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for performinga sale transaction, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary equipment used in an embodiment of a POSsystem, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a schematic of an exemplary POS system, according to aspectsof the present disclosure.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have beenused, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common tothe figures. Elements disclosed in one embodiment may be utilized withother embodiments. The illustrations referred to here should not beunderstood as being drawn to scale unless specifically noted. Also, thedrawings are often simplified and details or components omitted forclarity of presentation and explanation. The drawings and discussionserve to explain principles discussed below, where like designationsdenote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the disclosure relate to automated techniques for identifyingand items presented for purchase and optionally identifying a customerassociated with purchasing the items. According to aspects of thedisclosure, a retailer may use a point of sale (POS) system with one ormore visual sensors to simultaneously identify items presented forpurchase and the purchaser. The POS system may utilize a camera toidentify all of the items in a basket or bag simultaneously, which mayreduce item recognition time compared to scanning items serially usingautomated or manual systems. In parallel with identifying the items,facial recognition software may be used to identify the customer, andthe POS system may use information regarding the identified customer inadding loyalty, payment, and receipt information to the transaction. ThePOS system may use a weighted security algorithm in verifying thatnothing unexpected is in the basket or bag. The POS system may thenperform payment authentication and produce a receipt (e.g., bygenerating an email to the customer, generating a text message to thecustomer, or causing a printer to print a receipt). The customer canthen exit the store. The POS system may utilize cameras throughout thestore to identify customers, identify items, interpret behaviors ofcustomers, and build transactions while a customer is shopping.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a store 100, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. Customers 102 a through 102 f may enter the store throughone of the doors 104. A customer may select items for purchase fromshelving units 103 and place the selected items in a cart 106 or basket.When the customer is done selecting items and ready to pay for theitems, the customer can proceed to a point of sale (POS) terminal 120located at a checkout position in the store. The POS terminal identifieseach of the selected items (e.g., by scanning a bar-code), determines aprice for each of the items, generates a record of the transaction, andmay accept payment (e.g., a credit card payment) for the transaction.The customer may also be identified (e.g., by presentation of a loyaltycard) by the POS terminal, and the POS terminal may alter thetransaction (e.g., by applying one or more discounts) based on theidentity of the customer. When the customer has completed thetransaction and is ready to leave the store, the customer exits throughone of the doors 104.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of an exemplary store 200 depictingshelves, POS terminals and an exit to the store, according to aspects ofthe present disclosure. Store 200 includes shelving units 203 withshelves 210 and items 215 that are available for selection, purchase,etc. Multiple shelving units 203 may be arranged in the store 200 toform aisles through which customers may navigate.

The store 200 includes a plurality of sensor modules 202 disposed in theceiling 201. A POS system of the store 200 may use information gatheredby sensor modules in determining items being purchased by a customer.For example, a POS system may receive imagery of a customer placing abox of corn flakes in the customer's basket and store a record that thecustomer picked up the box of corn flakes for use (e.g., as a reference)when the customer is checking out. Each sensor module 202 may includeone or more types of sensors, such as visual sensors (e.g., cameras),audio sensors (e.g., microphones), and motion sensors. Sensor modules202 may also include actuating devices for orienting the sensors. Sensormodules or individual sensors may generally be disposed at any suitablelocation within the store 200. Some non-limiting examples of alternativelocations include below, within, or above the floor 230, within otherstructural components of the store 200 such as a shelving unit 203 orwalls. In some embodiments, sensors may be disposed on, within, or nearproduct display areas such as shelving unit 203. The sensors may also beoriented toward an expected location of a customer interaction withitems, to provide data about the interaction, such as determining thecustomer's actions.

Store 200 also includes a number of POS terminals (e.g., kiosks) 205.Each POS terminal 205 may include computing devices or portions ofcomputing systems, and may include various I/O devices, such as visualdisplays, audio speakers, cameras, microphones, key pads, andtouchscreens for interacting with the customer. According to aspects ofthe disclosure, a POS terminal 205 may identify items a customer ispurchasing, for example, by determining the items from images of theitems.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, a customer 240 may have amobile computing device 245 (e.g., a smartphone) that communicates withthe POS terminal 205 to complete a transaction. In aspects of thepresent disclosure, the mobile computing device may execute a storeapplication (e.g., an app) that is connected to networked computingsystems using wireless networks accessible within the store (e.g., overWi-Fi or Bluetooth). In one embodiment, the mobile computing device 245may communicate with the POS terminal 205 when brought within range,e.g., using Bluetooth or near-field communication (NFC) tags.

In some embodiments, the shelving unit 203 may include attached and/orembedded visual sensors or other sensor devices or I/O devices. Thesensors or devices may communicate with networked computing deviceswithin the store 200. A POS system may use information gathered bysensors on a shelving unit to determine items being purchased by acustomer. For example, the front portions 220 of shelves 210 may includevideo sensors oriented outward from the shelving unit 203 to capturecustomer interactions with items 215 on the shelving unit 205, and thedata from the video sensors may be provided to a POS system for use indetermining items in the customer's basket when the customer is checkingout.

A POS system of the store 200 may utilize sensor modules 202 to build atransaction for customer 240. The POS system may recognize various items215 picked up and placed in a bag or basket by the customer 240. The POSsystem may also recognize the customer 240, for example, by recognizingthe customer's face or a mobile computing device 245 carried by thecustomer 240. The POS may associate each item 215 picked up by thecustomer 240 with the customer 240 to build a transaction for thecustomer 240.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary POS terminal 300, according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure. POS terminal 300 is generallysimilar in structure and function to POS terminal 205. POS terminal 300includes a base portion 312, one or more vertical portions 311, 313, asupport member 314 for supporting a shopping basket 343, and a creditcard reader 322. POS terminal 300 includes a camera 320 oriented foridentifying store items in a shopping basket 343. POS terminal 300 mayinclude a touchscreen or display 318 and camera 317 that are generallyoriented toward customers using the POS terminal, e.g., customer 350.Vertical portion 311 may also include a plurality of indicator lights315.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the camera 320 may beoriented such that it can view both items in the shopping basket 343 anda customer 350 using the POS terminal 300. The camera 320 may beoriented to view items in the shopping basket 343 and a customer usingthe POS terminal 300 by placing the camera 320 high on the POS terminal300, using a motor to move the camera 320 to change the viewpoint of thecamera 320, or supplying the camera 320 with a wide-angle lens.

The support member 314 may have markings indicating where the basket 343should be positioned during operation of the POS terminal 300.Similarly, the display 318 may present messages to assist a customer inpositioning the basket 343. Indicator lights 315 may also be used toindicate proper or improper basket positioning on support member 314.The support member 314 may also include a scale for determining theweight of the basket 343. The weight of the basket may be used inidentifying items within the basket 343.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, a POS system maysimultaneously identify items 362, 364 in the basket 343 and thecustomer 350. The POS system may identify the items 362, 364 based onone or more images of the items captured by the cameras 317, 320. ThePOS system may identify the items based on barcodes, quick response (QR)codes, reflected light, colors, sizes, weight ranges, packagingdimensions, packaging shapes, and graphical design of the items. Forexample, a POS system may capture an image of basket 343 using camera320. The POS system may determine that item 364 is a bag of chips basedon a bar-code in the image, and item 362 is an apple, based on its colorin the image and its weight, which is determined by the scale in supportmember 314.

The POS system may identify the customer 350 based on an image of thecustomer captured by cameras 317 and/or 320 (e.g., by use of facialrecognition software), based on a mobile computing device carried by thecustomer (e.g., based on an app running on the customer's smartphone),based on the customer's voice (e.g., using voice recognition software),and/or based on a gesture made by the customer (e.g., captured using atouchscreen 318 at the POS terminal 300). For example, a POS system mayreceive an image of customer 350 from camera 317 on POS terminal 300,and the POS system may use facial recognition software with the image todetermine that customer 350 is Susan Jones.

Upon identifying the items in basket 343 and the customer 350, the POSsystem may charge the customer 350, produce a receipt (e.g., by printingor e-mailing the receipt) for the customer 350, and indicate to thecustomer 350 (e.g. by playing a sound through a speaker) that thetransaction is complete. For example, a POS system identifies a bag ofchips and an apple in basket 343 from an image of basket 343. In theexample, the POS system also identifies customer 350 as Susan Jones.Still in the example, the POS system looks up a credit card for SusanJones from stored profile information, charges the credit card, emails areceipt to the email address in Susan Jones' profile, and plays amessage saying “Thank you for shopping with us, Ms. Jones” through aspeaker in the POS terminal.

While the foregoing operation of the POS system is described in terms ofidentifying two items, the disclosed embodiments are not so limited andare capable of identifying larger numbers of items.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a POS system mayrequire two-factor authentication in order to accept payment andcomplete a transaction. The POS system may require a person to have onefactor and to know one factor in order to complete the two-factorauthentication.

A POS system may accept, for example, recognition of an image of a faceobtained via a camera, recognition of a voice obtained via a microphone,recognition of a mobile computing device (e.g., recognizing a physicalmedium access control (MAC) address of a wireless device) obtained via awireless network receiver, or recognition of a credit card obtained viaa credit card reader as a first factor in the two-factor authentication.That is, the POS system may accept recognition of something that a knownperson would have (e.g., a face, a voice, a personal smart phone, or acredit card) as the first factor in authenticating a person as the knownperson.

As a second factor in authenticating a person, a POS system may acceptrecognition of something that a known person would know. For example, aPOS system may accept a spoken pass-code obtained via a microphone,signing of a signature on a touch screen, entry of a personalidentification number on a keyboard, or entry of a pass-code gesture ona touchscreen as a second factor in authenticating a person as the knownperson.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary checkout area 400, according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure. Checkout area 400 may beassociated with or be a part of store 100 or store 200. Checkout area400 includes two exemplary checkout lanes 405 a and 405 b, but othernumbers of checkout lanes are included in the scope of the disclosure.

Each checkout lane may include a plurality of dividers 410L, 410R thatbound each checkout lane. While the checkout lanes are shown withdividers, the dividers are optional, and checkout lanes may be boundedby markings on the floor or other means. As shown, the dividers 410L,410R are attached to framing in the ceiling, but alternative embodimentsmay have one or more dividers attached to the floor or free-standing.

One or more of the dividers 410L, 410R may include input/output devicesfor customer interaction, such as a display 415. Other input/outputdevices such as audio speakers, a touchscreen, a keypad, a microphone,etc. may also be included.

The dividers may include cameras 420L, 420R for capturing images ofitems 430 included in shopping cart 440. The cameras 420L, 420R may beoriented toward an expected position of the shopping cart 440, such asrelative to a segment of lane lines 412. The images may be analyzedbased on properties of the items 430, as well as labeling such asbarcodes 435. A separate camera 425 may be included in a lane 405 forcapturing additional images of the items 430 and/or images of thecustomer 401. A POS system may analyze the images of the items 430 todetermine the items being purchased by the customer 401. For example, aPOS system may determine the items being purchased by scanning one ormore images and reading a bar-code on an item, reading a quick reference(QR) code from an item, reading a label from an item, and/or looking upthe color, size, or shape of the item in a database of store items. APOS system may also combine the previously mentioned techniques and useincomplete information from a technique, either alone or in combinationwith another technique. For example, a POS system may read a partialbar-code and determine a color of an item from one or more images, thendetermine the item by looking up the partial bar-code in a database anddetermining a group of items matching the partial bar-code, and thenusing the determined color to select one item from the group. In asecond example, a POS system may read a partial bar-code from an item,look up the partial bar-code in a store inventory database, anddetermine that only item in the inventory database matches the partialbar-code. A POS system may also use information provided from othertypes of sensors to determine items being purchased. For example, a POSsystem may include radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanners anddetermine items being purchased by scanning RFID chips included in theitems.

As with the POS terminal 300, images of the customer 401 may be used bya POS system to identify the customer. Identifying the customer mayallow association of the transaction with an associated stored profileof the customer. Identifying the customer may also be used in completinga transaction (e.g., the purchase of goods by the customer).

According to aspects of the present disclosure, a customer 401 may pusha cart 440 of goods 430 through a checkout lane 405. A POS system mayidentify all of the items 430 in the cart 440, based on images of theitems captured by cameras 420L, 420R, and/or 425. The POS systemdetermines prices of the identified items (e.g., by looking up the itemsin a database) and adds the items and prices to a transaction. The POSsystem may also identify the customer 401, based on one or more imagesof the customer captured by the cameras 420L, 420R, and/or 425. The POSsystem may authenticate the customer 401 by the customer speaking apass-code, signing a signature, entering a PIN, or gesturing apass-code. The POS system may then charge the customer 401 for thetransaction, produce (e.g., by e-mailing or sending by text message) areceipt, and signal (e.g., by lighting a green indicator light) thecustomer 401 that the transaction is complete.

A POS system may use information gathered by other sensors in a store inidentifying items. For example, customer 240 and customer 401 may be thesame customer. In the example, a POS system may use sensors 202 tocapture images of customer 240 selecting items 215 for purchase. Stillin the example, the POS system uses the captured images to identifyitems 430 as the customer 401 walks through the checkout lane 405.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary method 500 for performing a saletransaction, according to aspects of the present disclosure. Method 500may be performed by a POS system, for example POS system 700 shown inFIG. 7, in completing the sales described above with reference to FIGS.3-4.

Method 500 begins at block 502, wherein a POS system identifies, by afirst computer or another computer, each item of one or a plurality ofitems, based on at least one image of the items captured by one or morecameras. For example and referring to FIG. 3, a POS system may use acamera 320 to capture an image of items 362 and 364, and identify item362 as an apple and item 364 as a bag of chips.

Referring again to FIG. 5, at block 504, the POS system determines, bythe first computer or another computer, a cost for each item. Continuingthe example above, the POS system determines (e.g., from a database)that the apple has a cost of $0.79 and the bag of chips has a cost of$0.59.

Method 500 continues at block 506, wherein the POS system identifies, bythe first computer or another computer, a person accompanying the itemsbased on an image of the person captured by one of the one or morecameras or another camera. Continuing the example above, the POS systemmay use camera 317 to capture an image of the customer 350 and identifythe customer 350 as Susan Jones, based on the image.

At block 508, the POS system adds, by the first computer or anothercomputer, each of the items and each of the costs to a sale transaction.Continuing the example above, the POS system adds an apple at a cost of$0.79 and a bag of chips at a cost of $0.59 to a sale transaction.

At block 510, the POS system charges, by the first computer or anothercomputer, the person for the sale transaction. The POS system may chargean account of the customer, post a transaction to a credit card on filefor the customer, present a bill at a payment kiosk for the customer, oruse other techniques to charge the customer. Continuing the aboveexample, the POS system charges $1.38 ($0.79+$0.59) for the saletransaction to a credit card on file for Susan Jones.

FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary equipment used in a store 600, according toone embodiment. Store 600 may be similar to store 200. As shown, store600 includes a plurality of terminals 605, a plurality of servers 610 athrough 610 x coupled with a network 615, one or more sensors 620, oneor more user devices 640, and one or more other devices 650.

Terminals 605 receive input from customers and/or produce output tocustomers within the store 600. According to aspects of the disclosure,terminals 605 may identify items for purchase, as described above. Theterminals 605 may include computing systems, portions of computingsystems, or devices controllable by computing systems, including the POSterminals 205 shown in FIG. 2. In one example, a terminal may include acomputing device, a video display, audio speaker(s), a keyboard, and amouse. In another example, a terminal may include a video display andassociated driver hardware, but a computing device coupled to theterminal and providing data for display is disposed separately from theterminal.

In some embodiments, terminals 605 may be implemented as standalonedevices, such as a POS terminal (e.g., POS terminals 205 shown in FIG.2) on the store floor or a device on a shelf or platform. In someembodiments, terminals 605 may be integrated partially or wholly withother components of the store 600, such as input or output devicesincluded with shelving or other structural components in the store(e.g., components used for product display or storage). In someembodiments, terminals 605 may be modular and may be easily attached toelements of the store 600, such as walls or shelves.

Generally, terminals 605 may be distributed throughout the store 600 andmay enhance various phases of the shopping experience for customers. Forexample, terminals 605 may include digital signage 608 in the store,such as in or near aisles, endcaps, displays, and/or shelving. Terminals605 may also include POS terminals 606 that provide a checkoutfunctionality, allowing the customer to complete his/her shoppingtransaction (e.g., make payment for selected items). In someembodiments, terminals 605 may provide an integrated functionality. Forexample, the terminals may function in one mode as digital signage, andwhen a terminal is engaged by a customer, the engaged terminal functionsas a POS terminal.

Servers 610 a through 610 x generally include processors, memory, andcommunications capabilities, and may identify items for purchase andcustomers using imagery, as described above. Servers 610 a through 610 xcommunicate using various wired and/or wireless communications methodswith terminals 605, sensors 620, and with other networked devices suchas user devices 640 and other devices 650. The servers 610 a through 610x may identify items for purchase and customers based on informationreceived from terminals 605, sensors 620, user devices 640, and otherdevices 650. Servers 610 a through 610 x generally execute computerprogram code in which input data is received from networked devices, theinput data is processed and/or stored by the servers, and output data isprovided to networked devices for operation of the store 600.

Sensors 620 may include video sensors 625, audio sensors 630, and othersensors 635. The other sensors 635 generally include any sensor capableof providing meaningful information about customer interactions with thestore, e.g., location sensors, weight sensors, and so forth. Informationfrom the sensors 620 may be used by a POS system in identifying itemsfor purchased and customers. Sensors 620 may be deployed throughout thestore 600 in fixed (e.g., locations 202 and POS terminals shown in FIG.2) and/or movable locations. For example, sensors 620 may be mounted inwalls, floors, ceilings, displays, or other devices or in shopping cartsor baskets. In one embodiment, sensors 620 may include adjustableposition sensor devices, such as motorized cameras attached to a rail,wire, or frame. Sensors 620 may also include devices in user devices 640or other devices 650 (which in some cases may include body-worn orcarried devices). The user devices 640 generally include devices ownedor possessed by customers, while the other devices 650 generally includedevices owned by the retailer or other administrator of the store 600.In some cases, store employees may carry and use other devices 650. Userdevices 640 and other devices 650 may execute applications or otherprogram code to supply information regarding items for purchase andcustomers that may be used by a POS in identifying the items forpurchase and the customers.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary POS system 700, according to aspects ofthe present disclosure. Generally, the system 700 corresponds to thestore 600 described above. POS system 700 may identify items forpurchase and customers, as described above. System 700 includes one ormore processors 705, memory 710, and input/output modules 750, which areinterconnected using one or more connections 740. In one embodiment,system 700 may be included in a single computing device, and theconnection 740 may be a common bus. In other embodiments, system 700 isdistributed and includes a plurality of discrete computing devices thatare connected through wired or wireless network techniques. Processors705 may be included in a single computing device, or may representprocessing elements aggregated across a number of networked devices,such as user devices 245 and 640 (see FIGS. 2 and 6) and POS terminals605 (see FIG. 6).

Memory 710 may be included in a single computing device or may representan aggregation of memory included in networked devices. Memory 710 mayinclude a plurality of modules 711 for identifying items for purchaseand customers, as described herein. The modules 711 store program codethat is executable by one or more of the processors 705. As shown,modules 711 include user identification module 712, item identificationmodule 714, virtual cart module 720, assistance module 722, securitymodule 724, power management module 726, audit module 730, loyaltyprogram module 732, and inventory module 734. The modules 711 may alsointeract to perform certain functions. For example, a virtual cartmodule 720, during operation, may make calls to a user identificationmodule 712 to identify a customer so that the virtual cart module cancharge the customer for purchased items. The modules provided here arenot intended to be an exhaustive list, and different functions may beassigned to different modules.

Memory 710 may also include customer profiles 736 and customer images738, which may be accessed and modified by the modules 711 in order toidentify customers and items for purchase. For example, virtual cartmodule 720 may access customer profiles 736 to determine a customer'sprevious purchases and use the previous purchase information inidentifying items for purchase. The customer profiles 736 and customerimages 738 may be stored within one or more databases on the servers 610a through 610 x or on a database separate from the store 600.

Input/output (I/O) functions for the POS system 700 may be provided byan I/O subsystem 750 that may include a number of different devices thatare capable of interfacing with computing devices and/or with thegreater store. The POS system 700 may use information received from theI/O subsystem 750 in identifying items for purchase and customers, asdescribed herein. I/O subsystem 750 includes sensors 620, describedabove. I/O subsystem 750 may include input devices 752 and outputdevices 754 operable to interact with customers. In some embodiments ofthe present disclosure, POS terminals 105, terminals 605, user devices640, and other devices 650 may include visual displays and/or audiospeakers (examples of the output devices 754), and various input devices752 (such as cameras, keyboards or keypads, touchscreens, buttons,inertial sensors, etc.). Imagery and other information received frominput devices may be used by the POS system 700 in identifying items forpurchase and customers. I/O subsystem 750 may further include wired orwireless connections to an external network 756 using I/O adaptercircuitry. Network 756 may include a local area network (LAN), a generalwide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet).In one embodiment, various networked computing devices of the system 700are interconnected using a LAN, and one or more computing devices (e.g.,servers 610 a through 610 x and user devices 640) include connections tothe Internet.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present disclosurehave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

In the preceding, reference is made to embodiments presented in thisdisclosure. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limitedto specific described embodiments. Instead, any combination of thefollowing features and elements, whether related to differentembodiments or not, is contemplated to implement and practicecontemplated embodiments. Furthermore, although embodiments disclosedherein may achieve advantages over other possible solutions or over theprior art, whether or not a particular advantage is achieved by a givenembodiment is not limiting of the scope of the present disclosure. Thus,the following aspects, features, embodiments and advantages are merelyillustrative and are not considered elements or limitations of theappended claims except where explicitly recited in a claim(s). Likewise,reference to “the invention” shall not be construed as a generalizationof any inventive subject matter disclosed herein and shall not beconsidered to be an element or limitation of the appended claims exceptwhere explicitly recited in a claim(s).

Aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of an entirelyhardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (includingfirmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodimentcombining software and hardware aspects that may all generally bereferred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” or “system.”

The present disclosure may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product. The computer program product may include a computerreadable storage medium (or media) having computer readable programinstructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of thepresent disclosure.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present disclosure may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in anycombination of one or more programming languages, including an objectoriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, andconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language or similar programming languages. The computerreadable program instructions may execute entirely on the user'scomputer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone softwarepackage, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computeror entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through anytype of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example,programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), orprogrammable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readableprogram instructions by utilizing state information of the computerreadable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry,in order to perform aspects of the present disclosure.

Aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of thedisclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the presentdisclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may bedevised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scopethereof is determined by the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of performing a sale transaction,comprising: identifying, by a first computer or another computer, eachitem of one or a plurality of items, based on at least one image of theitems captured by one or more cameras; determining, by the firstcomputer or another computer, a cost for each item; identifying, by thefirst computer or another computer, a person accompanying the itemsbased on an image of the person captured by one of the one or morecameras or another camera; adding, by the first computer or anothercomputer, each of the items and each of the costs to a sale transaction;and charging, by the first computer or another computer, the person forthe sale transaction.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the person isidentified based on a same image used to identify an item.
 3. The methodof claim 1, wherein an item is identified based on at least one of: acolor of the item, a size of the item, a weight range of the item, apackaging dimension of the item, a packaging shape of the item, and agraphical design of the item.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein theperson is identified based on at least one of: a mobile computing devicecarried by the person, a voice of the person, and an identification cardof the person.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:authenticating, by the first computer or another computer, the personbased on a first factor and a second factor, wherein the first factor isone of: an image of a face of the person obtained via one of the one ormore cameras or another camera, a sample of a voice of the personobtained via a microphone, a mobile computing device of the persondetected via a wireless network receiver, or a credit card of the personread by a credit card reader; and the second factor is one of: a spokenpass-code of the person obtained via the microphone, signing of asignature of the person obtained via a touchscreen, a personalidentification number of the person obtained via a keyboard or thetouchscreen, or gesturing of a pass-code of the person obtained via thetouchscreen.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: signaling, byat least one of a speaker, a light, or a visual display, the person thatthe sale transaction is complete.
 7. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: producing, by at least one of the first computer, anothercomputer, or a printer, a receipt for the sale transaction.
 8. Acomputer program product for performing a sale transaction, the computerprogram product comprising: a computer-readable storage medium havingcomputer-readable program code, the computer-readable program codeexecutable by one or more computer processors to perform an operationthat comprises: identifying, by at least one of the one or more computerprocessors, each item of one or a plurality of items, based on at leastone image of the items captured by one or more cameras; determining, byat least one of the one or more computer processors, a cost for eachitem; identifying, by at least one of the one or more computerprocessors, a person accompanying the items based on an image of theperson captured by one of the one or more cameras or another camera;adding, by at least one of the one or more computer processors, each ofthe items and each of the costs to a sale transaction; and charging, byat least one of the one or more computer processors, the person for thesale transaction.
 9. The computer program product of claim 8, whereinthe person is identified based on a same image used to identify an item.10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein an item isidentified based on at least one of: a color of the item, a size of theitem, a weight range of the item, a packaging dimension of the item, apackaging shape of the item, and a graphical design of the item.
 11. Thecomputer program product of claim 8, wherein the person is identifiedbased on at least one of: a mobile computing device carried by theperson, a voice of the person, and an identification card of the person.12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the operationfurther comprises: authenticating, by the first computer or anothercomputer, the person based on a first factor and a second factor,wherein the first factor is one of: an image of a face of the personobtained via one of the one or more cameras or another camera, a sampleof a voice of the person obtained via a microphone, a mobile computingdevice of the person detected via a wireless network receiver, or acredit card of the person read by a credit card reader; and the secondfactor is one of: a spoken pass-code of the person obtained via themicrophone, signing of a signature of the person obtained via atouchscreen, a personal identification number of the person obtained viaa keyboard or the touchscreen, or gesturing of a pass-code of the personobtained via the touchscreen.
 13. The computer program product of claim8, wherein the operation further comprises: signaling, by at least oneof a speaker, a light, or a visual display, the person that the saletransaction is complete.
 14. The computer program product of claim 8,wherein the operation further comprises: producing, by at least one ofthe first computer, another computer, or a printer, a receipt for thesale transaction.
 15. A system for performing a sale transaction,comprising: a computer processor; one or more visual sensorscommunicatively coupled with the computer processor; and a memorycontaining program code which, when executed by the computer processor,causes the system to perform an operation comprising: identifying, bythe computer processor, each item of one or a plurality of items, basedon at least one image of the items captured by the one or more visualsensors; determining, by the computer processor, a cost for each item;identifying, by the computer processor, a person accompanying the itemsbased on an image of the person captured by the one or more visualsensors; adding, by the computer processor, each of the items and eachof the costs to a sale transaction; and charging, by the computerprocessor, the person for the sale transaction.
 16. The system of claim15, wherein the person is identified based on a same image used toidentify an item.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein an item isidentified based on at least one of: a color of the item, a size of theitem, a weight range of the item, a packaging dimension of the item, apackaging shape of the item, and a graphical design of the item.
 18. Thesystem of claim 15, further comprising: a wireless network interface; amicrophone; a touchscreen; a credit card reader; and a keypad; whereinthe operation further comprises: authenticating the person based on afirst factor and a second factor, wherein the first factor is one of: animage of a face of the person obtained via the one or more visualsensors, a sample of a voice of the person obtained via the microphone,detecting a mobile computing device of the person via the wirelessnetwork interface, or reading a credit card of the person via the creditcard reader; and the second factor is one of: a spoken pass-code of theperson obtained via the microphone, signing of a signature of the personobtained via the touchscreen, a personal identification number of theperson obtained via the keypad, or gesturing of a pass-code of theperson, obtained via the touchscreen.
 19. The system of claim 15,further comprising: a speaker, and wherein the operation furthercomprises signaling the person via the speaker that the sale transactionis complete.
 20. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation furthercomprises: producing a receipt for the sale transaction.